Now that the FDA gave its emergency approval of the vaccine for younger children, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will hold a final review on November 2nd and 3rd.
In an interview with Mission Local, UCSF researchers explain the 2021 Pfizer trialof nearly 4,500 children, ranging from ages five to 11, had an efficacy rate of 91 percent.
A UCSF professor and epidemiologist notes that the vaccine seems to be safe at this age range and has not shown any adverse effects. She explains a smaller sample size may not show more rare events, such as heart muscle inflammation.
If the CDC approves the vaccine for the younger demographic, UCSF researchers expect the vaccines to start rolling out by mid-November.
Last month, the San Francisco Department of Public Health announcedplans to prioritize vaccinations for children under 12 at their nearly 100 pre-existing vaccination sites.